(1) Field of the Invention
An improved sensor to indicate that an electrical component lead is present in a cut-clinch head assembly of an electrical component assembly machine.
(2) Summary of the Prior Art
In assembling axial lead electrical components to printed circuit boards, the component lead wires are inserted down through predetermined openings in the printed circuit boards. Thereafter, a cut-clinch mechanism, located beneath the board, cuts and bends over or clinches the lead wires to the underside of the board to securely attach the component of the board. This permits the board to be handled during the remaining assembly operations prior to permanently attaching the components to the board by way soldering, for example.
In such a lead wire cutting and clinching operation, it is desirable to known whether the lead wire is properly positioned through the board opening and whether the lead wire is properly positioned in the cut-clinch head to indicate to the machine control that the cut-clinch mechanism can continue to operate.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,727 to Maxner, illustrates a cut-clinch mechanism in which the cut-clinch knife is caused to move in response to the presence of a component lead wire to trigger a signal that the lead wire is present in the cut-clinch head. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,557 to Taguchi et al discloses a sensing mechanism for detecting whether the lead wire is disposed within the cut-clinch head.
None of the prior art, however, disclose a sensing mechanism that is completely enclosed in the cut-clinch head assembly and is adjustable to fine tune the sensor to assure accurate and continuous sensing of the presence of the component lead wire in the head assembly.